It is common for audio, video and audio visual content to be released in multiple release windows. For example, it is common for a movie to first be released in theaters and then to be released for video-on-demand download and even later to be released on DVD. Each release window may utilize a unique content format and provide unique usage rights challenges. For example, the quality of audio visual content released as a theatrical release is generally very high quality and consumers generally do not have access to theatrical release content files. In contrast, the quality of audiovisual content released as a DVD has lower quality. DVDs are also widely distributed and can be duplicated.
Conventional approaches to control usage of content distributed in multiple release windows utilized multiple security mechanisms. Often, a different security mechanism is utilized for each release window. These conventional approaches require the use of multiple and different technologies, policies and practices. The use of multiple technologies, policies and practices results in the process becoming manual, labor intensive, fragmented, prone to errors and inefficient. Moreover, it can be difficult to control the distribution of content when multiple entities are encoding usage rights at a variety of release windows. Translating usage rights from one format another may also be difficult or impossible. When an unauthorized use or distribution takes place, it can be difficult to determine which of the multiple entities responsible for encoding usage rights is responsible for the unauthorized use or distribution. There may also be confusion regarding which rules, if any, apply in a release window.
Thus, systems and methods that provide content usage rights mechanisms that be used with multiple release windows would be beneficial to the art.